


Sleepless

by LiterallyThePresident



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Cassian doesn't know he's in love yet, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 22:09:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8914831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiterallyThePresident/pseuds/LiterallyThePresident
Summary: Bodhi has nightmares.





	

Cassian was dozing when a muffled shout from Bodhi's room next to his had him up and running before he could think. Fast as he could, he entered the code Bodhi had given him and the door opened to pitch blackness.

"Bodhi?" he called, blaster up, peering into the dark, "Bodhi? Answer me."

If anything had happened. If someone had gotten in and hurt him-

"...P-Pilot." came the trembling response, the fear in the familiar voice sending apprehension through Cassian's veins. He turned on the lights, eyes darting to where Bodhi sat upright on the bed, curled in on himself and visibly shaking.

"I'm the pilot." he was muttering, shaking and pale, "I'm the pilot. I'm the pilot. I'm the pilot. I'm the pilot...."

"Bodhi?" Cassian asked, lowering his blaster as he reached a hesitant hand out towards the terrified man. Bodhi flinched, pupils blown with terror and something else, something that made Cassian wish he had a target to shoot.

"I'm the pilot. I-I'm the pilot."

"Bodhi." Cassian said. Bodhi's head snapped towards him, a semblance of lucidity creeping back into his eyes.

"B-Bodhi. Bodhi Rook. I'm the pilot, I-I'm Bodhi." He took a deep breath, releasing his death grip on his biceps. The worrying dilation of his pupils receded marginally, and Cassian started when he realized how close he had gotten without noticing. Bodhi's trembling hand gestured for him to sit, and Cassian ignored the impulse to take it, electing to obey instead.

There was a moment where they both sat in silence, Bodhi embarrassed and Cassian trying not to make his worry too obvious.

"I'm sorry." Bodhi finally murmured, brown eyes downcast. He held his hands firmly in his lap, looking for all the world like a stricken mooka pup.

"No need to be. Is it... do you want to talk about it?" Cassian asked haltingly, unused to having to provide comfort. Unused to _wanting_ to provide comfort. Bodhi's eyes flickered to him briefly before returning to his lap. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. He took a deep breath. He fidgeted. He looked anywhere but at Cassian. Cassian waited patiently, noting the exhaustion and thinness of his frame.

"Galen said he trusted Saw Gererra." Bodhi began after a last moment of hesitation, "And I trusted Galen. For the most part. But..." his voice shook slightly and he stopped talking, seeming ashamed at showing such weakness in front of Cassian.

"Take your time." Cassian said gently, lips quirking at the grateful look Bodhi gave him before continuing.

"Gererra was insane. I-I'm choosing to believe Galen didn't know. He thought I was lying. He accused me of being a trap a-and he took me to this room and tied me down and..." Bodhi paused, reigning in the wild emotion on his face. Cassian waited, resisting the uncharacteristic urge to pull the man close.

"There was this creature." Bodhi continued, "He called it a... I-I actually don't remember what he called it. It... It was _in_ my mind. It poked and shuffled and ran it's slimy tendrils over every memory I had and it was _agony_. I-I remember screaming and praying to every god I know to make it stop but it... then the next thing I remember is you."

Cassian's blood seemed suddenly loud in his ears, the world taking on a slightly red tinge as the implications of Bodhi's words sank in. Bodhi's voice seemed faraway as Cassian fought with the terrible revelation of the trauma the soulful pilot had endured.

He'd read stories about such creatures. How they painfully extracted information from their victims, the terror and helplessness the victims felt, how many of them lost their minds. He recalled the distance in Bodhi's eyes when they had met, how Cassian asking him his identity seemed to yank him back from some unseen precipice. The glowing smile when he remembered himself, looking up at Cassian with blessed clarity and something else Cassian had chosen not to identify at the time.

The fact that Bodhi, who only wanted to do right, had been subjected to such a horror made Cassian's blood boil. He almost wished Gererra was alive so he could kill him himself. The knowledge that Bodhi had survived such an ordeal with his sanity intact nearly outmatched his fury, pride warring with protective rage until his stomach was a roiling cauldron of conflicting emotions with Bodhi, shy, endearing, strong, beautiful Bodhi at the center.

"Cassian?" Bodhi called tentatively, yanking Cassian back to himself. The pilot was looking at him with worry, a hand suspended in the air between them as though he meant to touch him. Cassian blinked as he realized he was the one shaking now, "Are you okay? You must be tired. I truly didn't mean to wake you, it was just a very vivid dream. I can-"

"I'm here." Cassian found himself saying, "I'm here, so nothing's going to happen to you. No one can touch you while I'm here, yes? You're safe. I'll keep you safe." Bodhi was still for a moment, blinking owlishly at him, before a beatific smile graced his lips.

"Thank you, my friend. You don't know what that means to me." Bodhi slowly leaned forward and wrapped his arms lightly around Cassian. Cassian tensed briefly but Bodhi didn't seem to mind, laying his head on Cassian's shoulder.

"It's nice to have someone care." Bodhi murmured, his voice low and soft, warm breath ghosting across his throat.

"Of course I care." was all Cassian said, his own arms finally coming up to return Bodhi's embrace, "You're important."

Bodhi's smile would stay with him for days afterwards.

**Author's Note:**

> I love these two and wish Bodhi's literal trauma got more attention. (My main girl caitninja beta'd and came up with the title so go praise her on tumblr)


End file.
